Move may bite hot dog vendor

Hungry folks on the University of Georgia's North Campus may soon be looking for a new lunch spot, if two ''Original'' Hot Dog Man carts are moved from their long-standing Baldwin Street locations.

Construction designed to improve pedestrian safety on the busy campus corridor will essentially eliminate Athens-Clarke County control of the two Baldwin Street vending areas where the hot dog carts have set up shop since 1985.

The sidewalks have historically belonged to the county, which issues the company's vendor permits, but construction will re-route the sidewalks to UGA property in order to move pedestrians away from the curb. That means the carts' two locations will no longer be usable for vendors, and it was unclear Thursday whether another North Campus-area location owned by the county will be secured.

Virginia W. Gundaker, co-owner of the five ''Original'' Hot Dog Man carts operated on campus and downtown, said she understood that there would be no access to Baldwin Street during summer construction, but said she is distressed to hear the two locations could be lost indefinitely.

Though the business operates three other stands downtown, Gundaker estimated some 50 to 60 percent of the company's annual revenue comes from the Baldwin Street lunch crowds.

''We don't want a darned refund,'' Gundaker said, referring to the vendor licensing fee that the county returned. ''We want a license. We want to sell hot dogs. This is our livelihood.''

It was unclear Thursday whether UGA would allow the ''Original'' Hot Dog Man stands to operate on its property; a call to UGA Vending Services Supervisor John Duffett was not immediately returned Thursday afternoon.

The county currently licenses 25 vendor locations downtown and in North Campus areas near the university. Vendors must pay a $100 vending license fee every four months, plus a $50 business license fee and an additional fee for each employee.

Steve Martin, director of the county's Central Services Department, which oversees vendor licensing, said vendors understand their permits must be renewed three times a year, and the permits offer no long-term right to sell at a particular location.

Martin added the county is trying to work with the business to find other locations for the stands if they are available. If not, he would be willing to consider location suggestions from the company, although those suggestions would ultimately have to be approved by the Athens-Clarke County Commission.

''There's no effort on our part to eliminate her (Gundaker) as a vendor. We're trying to leave it open that we could suggest another location in that general area,'' Martin said. ''... It's clear to me we've done everything we can do, and beyond that.''